1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a performance apparatus for reproducing performance data having a desired tempo, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a control method for such a performance apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A performance apparatus for setting a target tempo therein and reproducing performance data having a tempo corresponding to the target tempo is conventionally known.
In some cases, such a performance apparatus is configured that a time-dependent target pulse rate pattern for a time period from start to end of user's exercise is prepared based on exercise intensity or other conditions which are input to the apparatus, the pulse rate of the user performing exercise in time with music is detected, a correction value for correcting the tempo of music data is calculated based on the user's exercise tempo and a difference between the target and detected pulse rates, and the tempo of the music data is corrected with the correction value (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2001-299980).
There is also known a performance apparatus, in which a list of pieces of music (play list) matching various conditions set therein is prepared, and when any of the set conditions is changed, the play list is automatically renewed such as to make pieces of music in the play list conform to the changed conditions.
A combination of the above described known apparatuses suggests a performance apparatus for reproducing performance data selected from a play list prepared based on various conditions set by a user. In the suggested performance apparatus, a correction value for correcting the tempo of currently reproduced performance data is calculated based on user's exercise tempo and a difference between target and detected pulse rates. If performance data having a desired tempo corresponding to the tempo corrected with the correction value is present in the play list, a shift is made from the reproduction of the currently reproduced performance data to the reproduction of performance data having the desired tempo. If such performance data is not present in the play list, on the other hand, performance data having a tempo closest to the corrected tempo is selected from the play list, and the selected performance data is reproduced after its original tempo is corrected.
With the above described performance apparatus corresponding to a combination of the conventional apparatuses, if there is no performance data having a desired tempo corresponding the corrected tempo in the play list, some other performance data selected from the play list is reproduced after its original tempo is corrected. Thus, the selected performance data is unnaturally reproduced at a tempo different from its original tempo. Especially in the case of the performance data being audio data, which cannot freely be changed in tempo unlike MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) data, it is necessary to perform cumbersome processing on the audio data to change the tempo thereof. In addition, music tones resulting from the reproduction of audio data with its original tempo changed are quite unnatural when heard.
In the latter of the above described conventional performance apparatuses in which the play list is prepared in accordance with various set conditions, performance data changed to meet performance data selection conditions is automatically added to the play list, whereas performance data no longer met the selection conditions is automatically erased from the list. On the other hand, the selection conditions per se can be set only by a user by performing a setting operation. In other words, the selection conditions are not automatically renewed, and therefore, user's evaluation to music sound reproduced from performance data is not automatically fed back to the selection conditions.